Pump for liquid beverage preparation devices

Abstract

Devices for the preparation of a liquid food or beverage. One device includes a housing, pump, pump support for securing the pump to the housing, a rigid duct that is connected by an elastic sealing member to the housing and to an inlet or outlet of the pump. The pump support includes an elastic support member for resiliently supporting the pump chamber in the housing. Another device includes a pre-suction chamber connected to a liquid inlet of a pump and being designed to intermittently provide liquid to said liquid inlet. A further device includes a connector of at least one elastic sealing member designed to absorb vibrations from a pump of the device and to enable a relative movement of a duct and a liquid inlet or outlet of the pump.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001]The present invention relates to a pump for a device for the preparation of liquid food or a beverage. More particularly, the present invention relates to an elastic support member for resiliently supporting the pump within the housing of the device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Beverage preparation machines have been known for a number of years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,472 discloses a water circulation system between a water reservoir and a hot water or vapour distribution chamber of an espresso machine. The circulation system includes a valve, a metallic heating tube and a pump that are connected to the reservoir via different silicone hoses, which are joined using clamping collars.[0003]The known beverage preparation devices are equipped with various types of pumps for promoting liquid within the device.[0004]For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 2,715,868 discloses a beverage preparation machine for extracting a beverage ingredient within an extrac...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015]The elastic support member and elastic sealing member are preferably arranged to inhibit transmission of vibrations from the pump chamber.

[0051]Hence, as the pump is resiliently mounted within the housing of the device, for example by means of the elastic support member at its liquid inlet and by means of the elastic sealing member at its liquid outlet and / or its liquid inlet, vibrations of the pump can be effectively dampened or substantially suppressed. Thus, a transmission of vibrations from the pump chamber to other parts of the device is suppressed.

Problems solved by technology

In general, during operation of the pump of such a device, vibrations occur due to an oscillating or rotational movement of a driven part, e.g. a piston or a number of blades, housed within a pump chamber of the pump.

These vibrations may then be transferred to the housing of the device and thus negatively affect the quality or operational feel of the beverage preparation device.

Moreover, the vibrations may negatively affect other components housed within the housing of the device.

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